CASE STUDY: THE DATA BREACH AT ACME CORPORATION

Acme Corporation, a multinational retail company, recently experienced a

significant data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of

customers, including names, addresses, credit card numbers, and purchase

histories. The breach resulted from a combination of factors, including outdated

security software, inadequate employee training, and a failure to implement

industry$-$recognized security standards.

YOUR TASK

You are a cybersecurity consultant hired by Acme Corporation to assess the

situation and recommend improvements to their security practices. Your task is to

analyse the data breach incident and develop a comprehensive report that

addresses the following questions:

$1.$ Identify the key security principles and concepts that Acme Corporation

failed to adhere to$,$ leading to the data breach. Refer to specific examples

from the case study to support your analysis.

$2.$ Discuss the importance of aligning security practices with recognized

standards, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework $($CSF$)$ or the ISO$/$IEC

$27000$ series. Explain how these standards could have helped Acme

Corporation prevent or mitigate the data breach.

$3.$ Research and identify relevant sector$-$specific security standards that

apply to the retail industry. Explain how compliance with these standards

could enhance Acme Corporation's security posture and protect against

future breaches.

$4.$ Discuss the legal and regulatory implications of the data breach for Acme

Corporation. Consider potential fines, legal liabilities, and reputational

damage. Explain how aligning with security standards could help the

company demonstrate compliance and mitigate these risks

WORKSHOP WRITE$-$UP STRUCTURE

Use the following structure for your report to be written up in the Workshop

Write$-$up Structure available on the course website in the assignments folder:

Introduction

$$ Briefly summarize the data breach incident at Acme Corporation.

Security Principles and Concepts

$$ Identify the key security principles and concepts that were not followed.

$$ Provide specific examples from the case study.

Importance of Aligning with Security Standards

$$ Discuss the importance of aligning with recognized standards $($NIST CSF$,$

ISO $27000).$

$$ Explain how these standards could have helped prevent or mitigate the

breach.

Sector$-$Specific Security Standards

$$ Identify relevant sector$-$specific standards for the retail industry.

$$ Explain how compliance with these standards could enhance security.

Legal and Regulatory Implications

$$ Discuss the potential legal and regulatory consequences of the breach.

$$ Explain how aligning with standards could help demonstrate compliance.

Recommendations

$$ Provide actionable recommendations for Acme Corporation to improve its

security practices and prevent future breaches.

Conclusion

$$ Summarize your findings and emphasize the importance of aligning with

security standards for data protection and risk mitigation